Match Report: Hythe Town 1-3 DAFC U18s

Dover were nursing several key player returns from an injury plagued previous month.

After a messy opening ten minutes, Dover begun to take control, having much of the early possession, creating several goal scoring opportunities. Midfield duo Charlie Corrigan and Liam Jones having established dominance within the central midfielder role’s held those positions for the third consecutive game, and did not disappoint. Both extremely strong making sure they won everything in that second third. Their link up play was outstanding at times.

Dover Boss Chris Lynch made a shrewd tactical change within 15 minutes having witnessed Hythe struggling to create any goal scoring opportunities switching from a conservative 442 to an advanced attacking 352 formation. This immediately saw gains all over the pitch. Dover’s back three which consisted of Saunders, Galvin & Stanbrook looked in defiant mood mopping up anything which came there way. Athletic striker Allcock came close on several occasions, but could not break the dead lock, until top goal scorer Brunetti-Leach took to the field on 40 minutes replacing Casingena. The next two minutes saw Brunetti-Leach cause chaos in the Hythe penalty area having two very well placed shots saved by the Hythe keeper.
Half time score line 0-0.

Second half, Athletic were clearly up for the challenge and sensing goals duly delivered on 47 minutes after a free kick from outside the box deflected off the keeper and into the net. 1-0 Dover. Hythe, on a rare break away equalized via there left winger on 49 minutes.

What followed was wave after wave of Dover attacks, on 52 minutes Max Brunetti-Leach fired high into the top right hand corner from a great midfield through ball making it 2-1.

Dover continued to pile the pressure on, having two further goals disallowed, one for offside the the other judged a infringement on the Hythe Keeper.

On 76 minutes Max Brunetti-Leach broke away down the left side of the pitch, took the ball into the box where he cooly slotted home through the advancing keepers legs, this was the goal of the game. Dover saw the game out winning convincing over a team who put two past them a few weeks prior.

**Managers Comments**
This was another good performance from the lads, even though we lacked a little discipline in terms of shape at times, we completely controlled the middle of the pitch, winning everything enabling us to apply heavy pressure on the Hythe defense. The pass completion rate was not as high as it could have been, however, we have to take into account the pitch conditions which was wet and muddy. All in all another decent performance of which I am pleased with. More importantly, three points and plenty to take back to the training ground for next week.

Joint man of the match for me today has to be Charlie Corrigan and Liam Jones, followed closely by Max Brunetti-Leach who looked very dangerous having come on late in the first half scoring two important goals.